Post Covid-19 Growth Tips for Small Businesses

To say that Covid-19 came at the world out of nowhere is an understatement- it came in like a virtual wrecking ball and left a lot of plans and lives in shambles. This is a pain that is felt by everyone but perhaps especially by small business owners; while other people have had to put their lives on hold, to most small business owners, their businesses are their lives and that is what makes it truly devastating.

Running a small business is just as exciting as it is risky and every bit of business is crucial towards contributing to success. There is no shortage of challenges facing these business owners but Covid-19 has just completely changed the game so much so that in these times when the new-normal is as far from normal as we are all used to, small business who seek to reopen will also need to re-invent the way to do and drum up business if they want to succeed in their goals.

Covid-19: Life and Business

Anyone and that is to say nearly everyone, who has been in lockdown will have no doubt developed a taste for very closely monitoring the news. A big part of that is hearing about the challenges now facing new business and, sadly enough, how many businesses have folded as a result of different lockdown measures.

Indeed, a new set of challenges has just been put forward to business owners and whether or not they make it out of this onslaught perhaps depends on what they intend to do and how far they are willing to go to save their businesses. Most governments are making a solid effort towards encouraging people to support local businesses but there are a fair number of measures small businesses can put in place to make sure they are ready to meet the public’s demand.

Maximize Online Business

There has already been a shift towards online business platforms for quite some time now but perhaps its importance is even more marked in recent times. While people are advised, or even mandated by law, to stay home, and can’t come into your brick and mortar stores, now is a great time to really have a look at your website and see if it is built to draw in business and make money.

• Build a user-friendly website –Don’t fall into the sense of corporate entitlement that so many other businesses do- just because you have a website doesn’t mean you are entitled to visits and business. To make sure that people find your business online, make sure its SEO-optimised. While you are putting in the work to make sure people see your website, take it a step further and double-check that it is easy to navigate and easy on the eyes. It is important that people see the value of your website right away so they know what they’re getting from it.
• Place Adverts on Google or Facebook – Did you know that about 65% of small to medium-sized businesses invest in PPC (pay-per-click) advertising? If you are part of the 35% that isn’t yet doing this, now is your chance to get started. Google is usually the primary platform used for PPC ads and Facebook comes in at a close second and both these giants offer amazing ROI. For Google ads, you get about $8 in ROI for every $1 that you spend so that $20 you spend on initial adverts can really give you a sizeable return.
• Acknowledge Covid-19- This doesn’t have to be the primary focus of your website but it is quite handy to have a Covid-19 section where you can discuss measures your company has taken to ensure safety, some glitches customers may expect, etc. This shows your awareness and that is something most customers appreciate especially when working on marketing your products or services.

Working on your website can be a daunting prospect but don’t let that hold you back. There are plenty of online resources that can help you optimize your website so you can maximize any online business opportunities that come your way.

 

Brick and Mortar Stores Suggestions

Supplementing your business with an e-commerce website is perfect for when your store is closed but when the time comes to reopen those doors, then a new set of challenges comes in.

But then you also have opportunities to re-invent yourself for this post-COVID-19 world.

• Stay Clean be safe – If there was one thing that was highlighted as the most efficient way to protect against the virus, that is to practice good hygiene. Whether you are a retail store, a nail salon, restaurant, etc. you must adopt strict hygiene measures for your employees and customers. Even better, make sure everyone knows this is your priority. If you have no idea where to start on this, most governments should have guidelines you can follow.
• Make health a priority – This is a larger piece of work and will see you implementing ways to check whether your employees are healthy or not and also what to do if they are feeling unwell. You may look into quarantine rooms if an employee suddenly feels unwell in the middle of a shift and work on who to contact in this case to ensure safety for everyone. There may also be a need to check sick leave policies just in case employees do fall ill and need to stay away from work for a while. Some measures for mental health support will also need to be put in place; telemedicine is already becoming more and more commonplace and may be something you can use in your business.
• Closer monitoring – It may feel a bit invasive to have to check in where you go during your free time but in a post-COVID 19 world, this will become a tool for contact tracing should it become a necessity. There are many ways to do this either with good old pen and paper or more high-tech apps. Some establishments, especially those where memberships are necessary, already use beepers to monitor people.

It is going to a tough few months or even years ahead of everyone but for small business owners to re-invent their practices is just one of the many ways to survive and come out winners.

If you are looking for additional funding in a hurry, contact Drew Cashmere at South Florida Funding Group, an alternative business funding company,  by submitting the application found here: https://www.southfloridafundinggroup.com/apply-for-funding